


Sightsee

by yeaka



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 12:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16556039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: An old flame visits Gondor.





	Sightsee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mallyrn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mallyrn/gifts).



> A/N: Fill for gaynienna’s “lions (haldir/aragorn T), trans!haldir” request on [my tumblr prompt list](http://yeaka.tumblr.com/post/179060905990/prompt-list).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own The Lord of the Rings or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Not all of the elves nearby are visible to the naked eye, but _Aragorn’s_ is; he spots Haldir down on a lower ridge, still tall upon his horse. Haldir’s attention is lost below, far away from the king waiting on the next rise up. Aragorn nudges the sides of his own horse and gallops down the hillside, the guards on either side of him wisely hanging back. By the time he’s reached his target, the two of them are alone.

Even as Aragorn grinds to a halt tight at Haldir’s side, Haldir’s gaze remains on the field below. Aragorn can understand why: there’s nothing like the wild pride of lions back within Lothlórien. The sight of them must be a shock to Haldir—Aragorn doesn’t think he’s ever heard them spoken of in any Elven stories, even though elves were once more common in these lands. Without any formal greeting, Haldir murmurs, “You have truly fascinating creatures here.”

“Yes,” Aragorn answers, eyeing the chiseled lines of Haldir’s profile. “There is quite a lot to see beyond the trees of your home... even if there’s nothing of quite the same caliber of beauty.”

Haldir’s lips hitch in a smile. He finally relinquishes the view below, eyes flickering to Aragorn. The well-sculpted lines of his face are a little harder than the last time that they met, and there’s a bit more of a spark in his eyes, though no signs of aging—no wrinkles, no grey hairs. He’s precisely as lovely as he’s always been, just in an ever so slightly different way. He seems to pick up on Aragorn’s unspoken problem, because he answers, “I am sorry that I took so long to visit. Your reign must be complete by now.”

Nodding, Aragorn softly replies, “I’m just glad to see you. ...How long will you stay?”

There’s a tense enough pause that Aragorn already knows the answer won’t be what he wants. Sure enough, Haldir finally sighs, “Not long. My transition is not yet complete, and I need the magic of my lady close at hand for that. ...I would invite you to return with me instead, but I know that is a difficult thing to ask of a king.”

Aragorn nods. A part of him still wishes he’d never claimed the crown—he would be quite content to spend most of his days amongst the golden leaves with his lover, only occasionally straying out, always _together_ , for their own adventures. But another part of him would always miss Gondor, and there’s no leaving now. 

It’s easier to switch the subject: “Is there any particular reason you did not head right to my throne?”

“Yes.” Haldir nods out towards the lions, who still lounge about the yellow plains as though they own it all. “At first, I did plan to come before you... but then my brothers made mention of the strange wildlife in this region, and I wished to see them with my own eyes.”

“Are they everything you’d hoped?”

Haldir’s grin grows broader. “I find myself impressed with such handsome, powerful creatures...” Then he turns a burning look to Aragorn, one which makes his intent quite clear as he notes, “Yet they also seem quite dangerous... perhaps we should make our retreat now, so that the two of us might set up our camp.”

Aragorn needs no excuse to ride off with Haldir, and thus he easily agrees.


End file.
